The invention refers to a mechanism for regulating hinged elements, specifically planned to regulate the angle that two elements, one fixed and the other mobile, and hinged with respect to the first, form between them, being of special application in car seats armrests, without overlooking its application in other fields where the folding or angular variation of a movable item relative to another fixed were required, such as might be an car seat, the back of a seat, etc.
The mechanism is based on the use of two revolving parts, preferably discoidal, that are mounted on an axis and are cogged in their opposing faces, one of them being selected as a crown fixed to the structure or fixed item while the other forms a ratchet that is mounted on the movable or hinged element, so that the angular displacement of the hinged element causes the axial displacement of the part functioning as a ratchet with respect to the part that serves as a crown, allowing the obtaining of multiple adjustment positions corresponding to many different positions between the ratchet or crown, provided by the cogs in both parts.
It is the object of the invention to provide a mechanism based on the elements previously referred to, that allows the swinging of a movable item with regard to a fixed structure or item, and to locate the movable element stably in any angular position with regard to the fixed part, having means that the parts, from which the mechanism is constituted, tend to continuously engage with each other, as well as means that allow the separation of the cogs to reset the mechanism.
Mechanisms have been known for regulating the angle between hinged elements in the specific case of car armrests, the adjustment of the swinging movement can be carried out in many different ways, although more widely known are two types of adjusting mechanisms, one of them based on a xe2x80x9cinfinitexe2x80x9d screw, and another based on cogged parts, so that in the first case the adjusting is uncomfortable for the user, while in the second case the cogged parts require a precision that raise the cost of the product, , all independently of the fact that in both cases all the parts are metallic, what implies an increased weight of the mechanism assembly and, of course, a notable cost also.
The mechanism commended is designed to solve the previously presented difficulties, being based on the association of a series of simple parts, most of plastic, although the use of other materials is not discarded, with a simple operation without which the efficiency of the mechanism is diminished.
More specifically, the invention mechanism includes two discoidal parts or bodies mounted on an axis, and both cogged in their opposing faces, so that one of the parts functions as crown and is welded to the general structure of the fixed object or item of application, which in the case of an car armrest it will be welded to the structure of that armrest, while the other discoidal part functions as a ratchet and is capable of moving axially on the axle, between the mentioned crown and a limit formed by a plate holed through by this axle, so that the movement of the discoidal piece that functions as a ratchet is limited by this plate pierced by the axle and the crown, being supplemented with an external disk as ratchet axial support surface and as a base on which presses a spring that stretches to push this disk, and therefore the ratchet, against the crown, keeping both parts permanently engaged.
This basic system allows the obtaining of multiple adjustment positions, corresponding to the different positions possible between the ratchet and the crown, provided by the cogs of both parts, all so that the configuration of the cogs of this crown and the ratchet allows the rotation of the latter with respect to the crown in a single sense, what allows it to pass from one adjustment position to another in which the angular separation between the hinged elements is greater, but movement in a contrary sense is blocked. That is, by means of the mechanism referred to it is possible to pass directly from a less folded position to a more folded position, but it is impossible to pass from a more folded position to a less folded position.
To solve this problem it is intended to mount a separator between the ratchet and the crown that permits the axial displacement of the ratchet with respect to the crown so that disengagement takes place between the teeth of both parts, in order to allow the ratchet to be able to rotate in an unfolding sense.
Operating one way, the crown ratchet cogs impinges on a section of the each other, while the separator consists of an element placed in a side section and between both, ratchet and crown, constantly pushed against these, so that a given rotation position of the ratchet with respect to the crown implies that the separator pressed by those parts slips completely between both and separates the ratchet from the crown, which allows the contrary rotation of the rachet with respect to the crown and therefore the resetting of the mechanism.
In an alternative operation the separator consists of a discoidal part with arms that are housed in openings cut out for this purpose in the crown, so that a manual worked external part, in the shape of a wedge, that, on being suitably operated, acts on the disk separator, moving it axially so that the its arms cause the axial movement of the ratchet with respect to the crown and therefore the disengagement of its teeth to be able to reset the mechanism.
In this second case or variant of execution the whole perimeter of the crown ratchet is cogged, allowing greater stresses to be supported since these are distributed among a greater number of teeth.
In another variant or alternative operation, the adjustment is carried out automatically, without the necessity of action by external part, and the teeth are placed over the whole perimeter of the crown ratchet, thus achieving that the mechanism can support greater stresses and at the same time that the disengagement between crown and ratchet may be carried out automatically without manually actuating any part.
For that, in this alternative operation, in its face opposing the crown the ratchet has slots functioning as a slip guide for corresponding studs provided in the part that functions as a separator, consisting in this case of a ring with side arms and in those arms the studs that fit into the forementioned ratchet slots, with the distinction that the ring acting as separator is placed between the crown and the ring and its side arms located in housings intended for this effect in the corresponding crown, those housings having one of their walls shaped as a ramp to allow the sliding of the separator or ring, previously referred to, with respect to the crown, and thus to be able to bring about the pressure on the ratchet with respect to the crown to achieve the disengagement between both.
In its case, the ratchet always has, in its other face from the cogs, a slot in which a plate, preferably shaped as a crossbeam, is positioned, that limits the axial movement of this ratchet with respect to the crown, in each case counting as well with the external support disk that working with the pressure spring tends to keep the crown and ratchet together and ensure the stability of the adjustment positions between the tilting part with which the ratchet is associated and the fixed part to which the crown is attached.
Based on the characteristics previously referred to, a series of advantages and benefits are obtained among which the following can be mentioned:
The mechanism is notably more economic that the conventional ones, since certain elements or parts (ratchet, crowns and separator) can be plastic, so that they are naturally cheaper than metallic parts.
The mechanism assembly is much lighter when having plastic instead of metallic parts.
The mechanism is capable of adapting to different lines of style.
The mechanism is equally adaptable to specifications of adjustment requirements for different positions for different clients, without any investment cost.
The mechanism is resistant to the stress demands caused by its operation.
The mechanism is of simple structure and easily mounted, since it is only necessary to arrange on the axle the parts that form the crown, the ratchet and to pierce the limiting plate and finally to mount the support disk for the ratchet and its pressure spring.